Compressor valve service



1962 A. J. NICHOLAS 3,050,237

COMPRESSOR VALVE SERVICE Filed June 10, 1959 ANDREW INICHOLAS BY naw/4 6 3,050,237 COMPRESSQR VALVE SERVICE Andrew J. Nicholas, Sufiield, Conn, assignor to Worthington Corporation, Harrison, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 10, 1959, Ser. No. 819,358 2 Claims. (Cl. 230231) This invention relates to compressors and more particularly to a valve service for association with the compressor in order to improve the overall performance thereof.

Commercial application of the above type machinery has been limited because of the noticeable clatter caused by the moving portions during operation of the machine. This clatter is particularly troublesome in large size compressors wherein the ring valve clatter is more noticeable.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to accomplish substantially quiet compressor operation with the provision of a valve service having means associated therewith which substantially reduces valve clatter.

It has been found that the valve service contemplated herein to limit the valve clatter also functions to provide an increased volumetric efliciency for the compressor with which it is associated.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to accomplish quiet compressor operation with an increase in volumetric efficiency.

Further objects and advantages of this invention, including the simplicity and economy of same, will become apparent hereinafter and the various features of construction and combination of parts will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the valve service contemplated by this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the valve service contemplated by this invention and during the discharge operation of the compressor.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a portion of the casing, generally designated 1, of a reciprocating compressor. A partition 2 taking the form of a lower bulkhead divides the casing into a compression com-partment 3; wherein the compressor, as is well known in the art, acts on the gases utilized in, as by way of example, a refrigeration system, and a crankcase compartment 4 usually containing the driving components (not shown) of the compressor.

While FIGURE 1 illustrates only one cylinder, it will be understood by those familiar with this art, that the present arrangement may be used in single or multi-cylinder reciprocating compressors. One such application in multi-cylinder compressors may be realized from the teachings of the application of Daniel H. Bobis, Henry Soumerai and Andrew J. Nicholas, Serial No. 741,254, filed June 11, 1958, now abandoned.

Broadly, FIGURE 1 shows an elongated cylindrical liner 5 forming a cylinder 6 therein and having a flange 7 disposed about its upper end. The outer end of the flange is in sliding fit relation with the opening 8 formed in the upper portion of the casing 1. The lower end of the cylinder liner 5 is in slip fit relation with opening 9 in the partition 2 which is of lesser diameter but in alignment with the opening 8.

The liner 5 is retained in operating position through connection with the valve service generally designated 10 as will be described hereinafter.

A piston 11 is accommodated by the cylinder 6 formed by the liner 5 and is adapted for reciprocation therein in conventional manner by a suitable prime mover (not shown) such as a constant speed motor.

3,050,237 Patented Aug. 21, 1962 The valve service 10 comprises a closure 12 having suitable valve means disposed therein as will be described in detail hereinafter to regulate the flow of fluid into and out of the cylinder of the compressor.

The closure includes a valve plate 13 which is mounted on the flange. Valve plate 13 furthermore being in spaced relation with the upper portion 14 of a plurality of suction ports 15 formed in flange 7. The ports function to provide communication between the cylinder 6 and suction manifold 16 formed between the partitions 2 and 17 .v

A discharge valve cage 41 including discharge passage ways 18 and 19 is mounted on the valve plate 13 to provide means for passing compressed fluid to the discharge chamber 50 of the compressor.

Means taking the form of threaded members 20 are utilized to connect the discharge valve cage 41 and the valve plate 13 to the compressor casing 1 in any well known fashion.

A discharge valve seat 21 is mounted in the discharge Valve cage as by threaded means 22 to form the inner portion of a discharge outlet 23. The upper face 24 of valve plate 13 is fashioned to form the other side of discharge valve seat.

A first cavity 25 is formed in the valve plate 13 for receiving a valve disc 26 which seats on the suction inlet 14 formed by the upper portion of port 15 formed in the flange 7. A shallow inner step 27 and a deeper outer step 28 are formed in cavity 25 in any well known fashion such as machining. The movement of the valve disc 26 disposed in cavity 25 to regulate the flow of fluid from suction manifold 16 to cylinder 6 is therefore constrained by the shallow step 27 which in effect serves as a pivot to cock valve disc 26 at its outer edge 29. This cocking action provides a narrow inlet passage 30 between the inner liner seat 31 and the valve disc 26. Flow into the cylinder 6 is possible only through the narrow passage because the back edge of the valve disc 26 is in a blind cavity. With the above construction it is evident that the initial lifting bump of disc 26 is lower and hence clatter on valve opening is substantially reduced. Since the inlet opening 30 is substantially fixed between end of valve disc 26 and suction inlet 14 a venturi flow etfect is momentarily achieved by the cooking portion of disc 26 and thusly a slight supercharging eflect of fluid flowing into cylinder 6 is introduced before the disc seats on the valve seat, which in efiect increases the volumetric efliciency of the compressor. It is evident then that pivotal movement of disc 26 about ledge 27 before seating reduces the valve disc travel and impact before seating and accordingly valve clatter is substantially reduced. A retractive spring 31 is mounted in cavity 25 and in abutment with valve disc 26 to amist in seating the disc when the pressure in cylinder 6 is substantially equal to the suction pressure in chamber 16.

In like fashion a cavity 40 is formed in discharge valve cage 41 to function to reduce the more pronounced clatter of the discharge valve disc 42 mounted in the cavity 40 and adapted to seat over discharge outlet 23 to regulate the flow of fluid from the cylinder to the discharge chamber 50. As in the case with cavity 25' formed in valve plate 13 cavity 40' formed in the discharge valve cage 41 is also provided with a shallow inner ledge or step 43 and a deeper outer ledge or step 44. This provision allows the discharge valve disc to cock as is shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings and in similar fashion to the cocking action provided for the suction valve disc as was described in detail herein-above. The cooking of discharge valve disc 42 provides a narrow opening 45 for passing gas compressed in cylinder 6 longitudinally into passages 19 and passages 18 formed in the discharge valve cage 41 and for passage from there to the discharge chamber 50. As in the case of initial lift on opening of the suction valve, the movement of the discharge valve disc on opening strikes against the lower ledge 43 and since this movement is reduced, this in effect substantially reduces the clatter during operation and discharge of the compressor and the opening 45 further provides for easy passage of the discharge gases into the chamber 50.

In operation downward movement of the piston 11 causes the discharge valve disc 42 to close and prevent backup of gas from the discharge chamber 50 into cylinder 6. During this phase of piston travel, as is well known in the art, the suction valve disc 26 opens and permits gas flow into the cylinder 6. After the piston reaches bottom dead center and starts to move upwardly, the compressor compresses the fluid in the cylinder causing the suction valve disc to close the suction inlet 14 and the discharge valve to open to permit the expulsion of compressed gases out passageways 18 and 19 into discharge chamber 50 and from there to its contemplated use.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that they may be widely modified with in the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve service for a compressor including a casing having a cylinder formed therein, a closure means mounted on said cylinder, a suction inlet and a discharge out let in said casing, a piston movably mounted in said cylinder for moving fluid into and out of said cylinder and through said suction inlet and discharge outlet, said valve service comprising plural cavities in said closure means and formed respectively in spaced relation with said suction inlet and discharge outlet, valve discs movably mounted in each of said cavities and respectively associated with said suction inlet and discharge outlet to regulate the flow of fluid to and from said cylinder, and means for reducing valve clatter formed in at least one of said cavities and said last mentioned means comprising a first annular shoulder formed on the inner portion of said cavity and a predetermined distance from the valve disc in said cavity, a second annular shoulder formed on the outer portion of said cavity and at a greater distance from the valve disc than the first shoulder whereby the inner portion of said valve disc having said last mentioned means on opening strikes said first through said suction inlet and discharge outlet, said valve service comprising plural cavities in said closure means and formed respectively in spaced relation with said suction inlet and discharge outlet, valve discs movably mounted in each of said cavities and respectively associated with said suction inlet and discharge outlet to regulate the flow of fluid to and from said cylinder,

'and means for reducing valve clatter formed in both of the cavities including the suction and discharge valve discs and said last mentioned means comprising a first annular shoulder formed on the inner portion of each of said cavities and a predetermined distance from the Walve disc disposed therein, a second annular shoulder formed onthe outer portion of each of said cavities and at a greater distance from the valve disc than the first shoulder whereby the inner portions of the valve discs on opening strike the first annular shoulder prior to engaging said second annular shoulder, and said first and second annular shoulders coasting to cock the valve disc associated therewith to provide a venturi efiect to fluid passing therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,425,663 Lawhead Aug. 15, 1922 1,428,402 Steedman Sept. 5, 1922 1,476,794 Berry Dec. 11, 1923 1,489,912 Winkler Apr. 8, 1924 1,901,478 Sutton Mar. 14, 1933 2,668,604 Chisholm Feb. 9', 1954 2,728,351 Cooper Dec. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,063,206 France Dec. 16, 1953 

